Emerson High School - Emersonian Yearbook (Gary, IN)

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Our Atomic Coaches Coach Klug has been producing winning teams ever since he came to Emerson back in 1942. As basketball and freshman football coach, he has showed his worth and ability time and again. Housing all his talents on his favorite pastime, basketball, he again turned out a fine basket¬ ball team. Turning out city champs in freshman football is just another thing with Mr. Klug. His fine talent of developing material brought another freshman championship to Emerson. His sense of humor and winning ways have won him as many friends as his ability has won him fans. - ★ - In 1936, Emerson heralded the arrival of Arthur J. Rolfe to the position of football coach He is an alumni of Carlton College, Class of 1918, and hails from Anaconda, Montana. He has coached many outstanding teams during this span of years and he is certain to have many more. Mr. Rolfe not only stresses physical fitness, but he wants to make a man of each of his athletes, and this pays dividends in the games. - ★ - Last February Emerson welcomed the return of Coach Connelly to his old position as track coach. Former Navy Lieutenant Connelly served a three-year hitch, twenty-eight months of it at Pearl Harbor, where he was the pilot of a PT boat. He is a former Emersonian, having graduated in 1927. Afterwards he went through the Uni¬ versity of Pittsburgh. His super chalk talks before meets are wonders never to be forgotten. The meets are won, before they start, in the classroom. Another thing about coach is his friendliness and sense of humor that always keeps his team in good spirits. Coaches :—left to right —Rolfe, Klug, Connelly Page Twenty-seven

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Major E” Winners FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, GROSS COUNTRY This group of boys is the backbone of the school. Without them Emerson would be just an¬ other school, but with them we have a school represented by fine teams in all sports; football, basket¬ ball, track, cross-country, and baseball. This is really something, because a school’s fame is usually synonymous with the fame of its athletic teams. These boys aren’t only athletes, but they are leaders, scholars, and, most of all, Men. They have reached the goal which should be the goal of every boy entering high school. That goal is to win an emblem in a varsity sport. It is impossible for everyone to get a major emblem, only the cream of the crop can get them. Every boy should at least try to win one because for all he knows he is the cream of the crop. Unfortunately, not all of the boys were available when the picture was taken. They arc- jack Depanion—Basketball; Jack Sdhaff—Football; basketball; Sam Ranzino—Basketball; Carl Carnahan—Football; Bob Yesh—Football; Louis Karras—Football; Joe Sewell—Football; Steve Kokos—Football; Bob Elwood—Manager; Bob Alger—Manager. hrst Row: Jim King—football; Bill Guelinas—cross-country; Tom Wilson—basketball ■ Joe Minniti—football, track; Paul Ortosky—football, baseball; Bob Holt- Manager; Dick Colley—football, basketball, track, baseball. Second Row:— Henry Frankowski—cross-country; John Dolatowski—cross-country; Don Kirksey—football; Dick Swan—baseball, cross country; Bob Kutch—cross¬ country; Chester Niepokoj—cross-country; Merritt Lesch—football. Third Row :—Jack Egan—manager; Albert Gasper—basketball; Gerald Mulloy—cross¬ country; Dorn Cefali—football; Francis Gant—basketball; Bill Kane—foot¬ ball, basketball, baseball; John Lewandowski—cross-country. Page. Twenty-six

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FOOTBALL With eight major lettermen back from the 1944 squad, which racked up eight consecutive con¬ tests before bowing to Lew Wallace in the season’s final, our outlook was promising. The returning veterans were: End, Bob Yesh, halfback, Dick Colley, tackle, Louis Karas, fullback, Gene Miller, half, back, Steve Pangiotis, guard, Steve Kokos, center, Jack Schaff, and guard, Carl Carnahan. Emerson 6—Evansville 13 With high hopes our boys traveled down to Evansville to tangle with the Memorial Tigers. Memorial recovered an Emerson fumble deep in our territory early in the game and quickly broke the ice. Early in the second half the Tigers marched 51 yards for their second touchdown. We finally broke through late in the last quarter on a short plunge by Gene Miller. Play was featured by tough line play by both teams in the 20 degree heat. Emerson 26—Hammond Clark 0 Bouncing back from our first setback we ran rampant over the hopeless Pioneers without the assistance of fullback Gene Miller, inducted into the Army. Jack Schaff shifted from his center posi¬ tion and proved an able substitute at fullback. Steve Pangiotis highlighted this game with a 58 yard touchdown gallop. Schaff was the workhorse this game and scored one touchdown; Bill Kuck scored two on short plunges. Carl Carnahan made 2 out of 4 placements. Emerson 0—Whiting 0 Tough defensive play again featured this game as the ball stayed within the 30 yard markers for the first 3 quarters. Both teams threatened several times but penalties always set them back. At the last quarter, the Oilers threatened on a long 49 yard pass but ran out of steam on our 18 yard line. Emerson then turned on steam for a drive to Whiting’s 16, featured by the running of Jack Schaff Tackle Louie Karras featured our defensive play by repeatedly breaking through. We had the best of it statistically with Schaff’s 20 yard gain, the longest of the game. We welcomed back Merritt Lesch, last year’s quarterback, who was just discharged from the Marines. Emerson 19—Wallace 26 Wallace was leading 13-0 at half time and made it 20-0 before the Tornado began to roll. We fought back to make it 20-19 before Wallace scored their final touchdown. Bob Brooks started it off for Wallace with a 52-yard touchdown ramble. Wallace added another before the half ended and made it 20-0 on a fifty-yard pass. Bob Yesh scored our first touchdown on a short pass from Steve Pangoitis and Jack Schaff bulled his way through the Hornets for a 14-yard touchdown. Dick Colley set up the next score with a 1 6-yard sprint and Merritt Lesch sneaked over. Wallace then struck back for their final score set up by a 43-yard run by Respecke. Page Twenty-eight